Plane for flying-machines.



J. S. LANG. I

PLANE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. 913.

1,241,860. Patented 0% 2,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. S. LANG.

PLANE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

umcmou mm ocr. 23. m3.

1,241,860. Patented Oct 21917.

2 8HEETS-SHEET 2.

u a M7 UNITED STATES Parana? OFFICE.

JAMES S. LANG, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PLANE FOR FLYING-MACHINES.

Application filed October 23, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. LANG, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Planes for Flying-Machines, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in explaining its nature.

My invention relates to an improvement in planes for flying machines andespecially to the main lifting planes thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a plane which by reason of itsform or the arrangement of its parts is adapted to assist inautomatically maintaining the stability of the machine and especiallywhen the machine is being subjected to gusts of wind striking themachine and plane at an oblique angle with relation to the line of itsflight and which might otherwise tend to overturn the machine.

For the purpose of illustrating my improved plane I have shown the sameapplied to a flying machine of the biplane type although it is equallyapplicable to other types of flying machines.

The drawings are simply diagrammatic, only those parts of the machinebeing shown as are necessary to illustrate the form and relativeapplication of the plane forming the subject-matter of my invention, andin which- Figure 1 is a plan of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine, and

Fig. 4 is a plan of a modified detail of construction to which specialreference will hereinafter be made.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents the body of the machine, 2 theengine, 3 the propeller, 4 the upper main lifting plane, and 5 the lowerlifting plane. At the tail of the machine 6 and 7 represent,respectively, elevating and steering planes, both of a type commonlyemployed. 8 is the landing gear. All these parts are thus generallyreferred to for the purpose of show- Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 796,835.

ing the relative arrangement and disposition of the main lifting planes4 and 5.

The main lifting planes 4 and 5 are supported by a frame structureconsisting of ribs 9 and interposed struts 10 bound together andconnecting with the body of the machine to be supported by it in thecustomary manner.

Each of the main lifting planes 4 and 5 comprises correlative portions11 and 12, respectively, lying on opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter or axis of the machine and extending laterally and outwardlytherefrom with a forward inclination with relation to the transverseaxis of the machine. In order to accomplish the object of my invention,the forward inclination of the correlative portions of the plane orplanes should be such that the entering edges 13 thereof will have anangularity of at least 15 with relation to the transverse axis of themachine, although such angularity, as will later be explained, dependsupon the relative size and inclination of the righting tips at the endsof the correlative portions of the planes, my preference being thattherelations of the parts be such that the entering'edges of thecorrelative portions of the plane may have an angularity ofapproximately 30 with relation to the transverse axis of the machine andby approximately I .mean between 20 and 40.

At their inner ends I prefer that the portions 11 and 12 of therespective planes be connected by a common or central plane section 14,although the plane sections 11 and 12 may be connected in such mannerthat the inclined entering edges 13 thereof will meet in the plane ofthe longitudinal axis of the machine as shown in Fig. 4. I prefer,however, the structure shown in Fig. 1 on account of constructionaladvantages.

Each of the correlative portions 11 and 12 of the upper main liftingplane 4 is provided at its outer end with a fixed laterallyextending andupwardly-inclined righting tip of which 15 represents the righting tipto the plane section 11 and 16 the righting tip to the plane section 19.

The operation of main lifting planes is as Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

with an equal and uniform application.-

Any lifting action upon the respective righting tips 15, 16, is alsouniform. The lateral balance of the machine will accordingly bemaintained. In case the machine settles, the righting tips 15 and 16assist in maintaining it in its normal position of equilibrium orbalance, the pressure of air against these tipsbeing substantially equalon both sides of the machine.

' It will now be assumed that a gust of air strikes the planes [of themachine obliquely or at an angle to the line of its flight. It will alsobe assumed, for purposes of illustration, that the resultant of the gustand the relative backward movement of the air due to the progress of themachine is from the right side thereof in the direction indicated bytherespective arrows a, 6; a 6 etc. Under these circumstances theresultant air pressure will on one side of the machine exert a liftinginfluence on the righting tip 15, plane section 11 and substantially onehalf of the intermediate section 14. On

the other side of the machine it will exert'a' lifting influence on theremaining half of the plane section 14, on the plane section 12, and avery slight lifting influence, if any, upon the righting tip 16.Moreover, if the resultant air pressure is sufficiently oblique, it willexert a depressing influence upon the top side of this righting tip.

With the conditions as assumed, the tendency of the resultant airpressure might, if the planes were otherwise formed than as described,be to overturn the machine or at least unbalance the same by lifting theright side thereof. According to the formation and arrangement of therespective planes, however, no overturning or unbalancing eflect will beproduced for the following reasons: Owing to the relative angular in-'clination of the sections 11 and 12 of the respective planes, it will beobserved that the projection of the plane sections 11 on the rightsideof the machine to the resultant air pressure is very much less thanthe projection of the plane sections 12 on the other side of themachine. In other words, the projection of the plane sections 11 to theresultant air, pressure will be that between the arrows a, 6, a 6 whilethe projection of the sections 12 on the other side of the machine willbe that lying between the arrows (1 6 a 6 (see Fig. 1). Therefore,

ert a very strong influence upon the righting nsaneeo righting tip 16 onthe other side of the machine, yet the projection of the plane sec tion11 being so much smaller than that of the plane "section 12, thetendency will accordingly be for the pressure upon the section 12 on theleft side of the machine to counteract any tendency to overturn orunbalance the machine.

If the resultant air pressure engaging the" machine was in the directionindicated by the arrow at, 6 it would exert a very strong liftinginfluence upon the righting tip 15 and without doubt a depressinginfluence upon the righting tip 16 on the other side of the machine. Itsinfluence, however, upon the .plane section 11 would be relativelyslight inasmuch as the projection of this plane section would be thatlying between the entering and trailing edges of this secis my purposeto so form the planes that the relative projection of the respectiveplane sections on either side of the machine to a resultant windpressure shall in all cases be such that a counteracting influence willbe exerted to overcome any tendency on the part of such resultantpressure to overturn the machine.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Pattent of the United States 1. A lifting plane for flyingmachines having correlative portions lying on opposite sides of thelongitudinal'center of the machine and projecting respectively outwardlyand laterally therefrom, each with a forward inclination with relationto the transverse axis of the machine, and fixed laterallyextending andupwardly-inclined righting tips attached respectively to the ends ofsuch correlative portions, the for ward inclination of said portionsbeing such that the entering edges thereof will have an angularity tothe transverse axis of the machine of at least 15.

2. A lifting plane for flying machines having correlative portions lyingon opposite sides of the longitudinal center or the machine andprojecting respectively out wardly and laterally therefrom, each with aforward inclination with relation to the 1,241,seo

machine of approximately 30 dependent upon the size and inclination ofsaid righting tips.

JAMES S. LANG. Witnesses:

JOHN E. R. HAYEs, M. E. FLAHERTY.

